Man’s handbrake turns damaged nature reserve

A man’s appeared in court charged with damaging a protected nature reserve by doing handbrake turns across it late at night.

Reece Charles Roy Noden of Barrule Park in Ramsey admitted breaching the Wildlife Act when he appeared before magistrates.

The hearing at Douglas Courthouse was told a resident living near the Ayres alerted police in the early hours of February 18 when he heard loud revving noises.

When huge amounts of damage to turf was found at the National Nature Reserve, Noden was traced and admitted to police he’d driven his car over it.

His advocate said Noden had moved to the Island in the past year and hadn’t realised the area was protected with its own by-laws.

Magistrates fined him £250 and ordered him to pay £50 prosecution costs.